MINERAL SPRINGS. 301 



MONDACA. 



from Talca, in an E.N.E. direction, and north from the Descabczado peak, on the 

 southern shore of the lake of that name, are the baths of Mondaca or rather, there are the 

 mint-nil called ; t..r the only baths are a few holes scooped in the earth from time to 



tinit-, and around which hath' MI|H.J arily arrange a sort of screen with stones and briiKh- 



w.M.d. In the midst of rugged mountains and utterly barren and desolate jn < -ij.ic < -H, the lake 

 *lumhcrs tranquilly. At the Dirt her end of its turbid waters, and in that direction only, are 

 then- symptoms of verdure. There the ground rises in terraces, over which the water of a little 

 >ireani tails towards the lake in a pretty rapid, and partially diffuses itself over the surface, sus- 

 taining vegetable life. 



The mineral waters issue from beneath granite rocks surrounded by gravel and coarse sand. 

 They are 3,600 feet above the ocean ; are clear ; apparently emit no gas at their exit from the 

 earth, yet have a slightly perceptible and disagVeeable odor ; and their temperatures range from 

 82. 5 to 111. 5, the heat being greater in newly made than in old excavations. Their principal 

 organic matters are 



Chloride of sodium 0.496 



Sulphate of nola 0.230 



Carbonate of lime 0.207 



conforming them closely to the Colina waters. 



Prof. Domeyko found a small hut of dried branches amid these holes and piles of stone ; but 

 they afforded protection neither from the morning frosts nor the fierce noonday heat. Quite a 

 number of invalids occupied it. Their pallets were spread on the bare earth ; yet, almost scorched 

 as they were by the heat, and subjected to constant privation, they retained full confidence in 

 the miraculous powers attributed to the water. But I must quote a paragraph published by 

 him in the " Anales de la Universidad," respecting the condition in which he found the mineral 

 baths of most consequence nearest the third city of Chile: "Seeing these people so weak 

 and emaciated, exposed to every vicissitude of climate, in a region where no living soul is to be 

 found, I cannot but admire the courage and faith of man, forced to struggle with the rigors of 

 nature in pursuit of health, and am surprised that, at so short a distance from the capital of a 

 populous province, and within four or five leagues of the finest forest in Chile, there has not 

 been constructed at least one house for sheltering them, at a place so famous for its thermal 

 waters. Invalids who come here remain only eight or nine days to drink the water; those 

 most attacked by rheumatic pains, affections of the stomach, or cutaneous diseases, bathing 

 also. At the end of that time, almost all of them, I am assured, are better, and return happily 

 home, if one of the temporales that so frequently occur do not overtake them on the road." 







CATO. 



These springs are three in number. They are situated fifteen or twenty leagues to the south 

 of Panimavila, in a location somewhat analogous, though the water issues from a coarse, sandy 

 quartzose formation of an ashy-grey color. Their temperature is constant at 96. 8. They are 

 perfectly colorless, have no odor, are unpleasant to the palate, and emit a gas which is probably 

 pure azote. In two of them the gas-bubbles rise constantly ; in the other only at intervals, as 

 though impeded, but in this case they are much the largest. Their chief mineral constituents 

 are sulphate of soda, chloride of sodium, and silica. The volume of water is considerably less 

 than that at Colina. Prof. Domeyko says: "Persons worthy of confidence have assured 

 me that these springs were entirely dried up by the great earthquake of 1835, and that it 

 is only a year (in 1849) since they reappeared at the same place." M. Crosnier* states 

 that the springs issue from green amygdaloid*! porphyry, the water exhaling a very decided 



* Amiules dea Miuee, Vol XIX, 4th series, page 919. 



